Ear/eye protection for noob

[boosterboy]

Well I'm planning to purchase my first handgun within a week or so, so I figured its time to buy some good ear muffs and glasses. I prefer ear muffs since my ear holes are pretty small and have a really hard time fitting ear plugs. So for ear muffs I plan on getting Peltor Bull's-Eye Ultimate 10. These seem to be good muffs... any objections or suggestions? Dont plan on buying any rifles soon so those muffs being bulky dont bother me. I just want good muffs at a decent price. And as far as glasses Im in the air, I usually use what the range lets me rent(for both muffs and glasses). Any specific brand better then others, or is this a what ever fits me is better. I also dont want to spend to much on the glasses either, so no $200 oakleys for me. Well any suggestions and opinions will be appreciated.

Oakley M-frames are about 100$, with one pair of lenses.
Oakley Half Jackets are about 100$, with one pair of lenses.

ESS I.C.E. 2.4 are like 40$


I really dislike my first set of Wiley X PT-1, because the frame's locking lug wore out and the lense wouldn't stay on, had it replaced.

[maxicon]

I'll echo the Peltor Ultimate 10 recommendation for pistol shooting. I've tried an assortment of muffs, and these are the best combo of excellent noise reduction, comfort, and good seal around glasses for a reasonable price. You can get them at Orchard Supply as AOSafety Professional 90561 (still labeled Peltor on the muffs) for $20.

They are bulky, though, and I also like the Shotgunner muffs with plugs under them for anything requiring lower-profile muffs. NRR isn't as good, but the plugs fix that up.

[EKIM]

well I'm probably going to get the peltor 10 and some multimax ear plugs to double up. As for the glasses still not sure, I guess it just depends if I want to buy some cheapo ones or spend the extra money and look good while shooting . Thanks for every ones advice and opinions.

[lazyworm]

For eye protection, go to your local homedepot/hardware store and look at their selection. Most of them are impact certified and they're dirt cheap (~$5) Be sure to try them on and get the pair that has the most coverage.

[ElKabong]

I've tried the super cheap home improvement store glasses as well and I have bit advice regarding them. Make sure they fit your face. Most of the glasses I've tried from those stores don't fit my face right, but that's obviously going to be different depending on the shape of each individual's face. The more expensive glasses they sell tend to fit, but then I'm spending about the same as shooting glasses and I'd rather have the option of colored lenses.

A few suggestions about selection:

• Make sure there is not a big gap between your forehead the top of the glasses. A big gap tends to allow hot cases to get stuck between the glasses and your cheek. They are surprisingly hot. If there is a gap there, consider wearing a hat with a brim when shooting anyplace where cases may bounce towards you (like in an indoor range stall).
• Look for glasses with some side protection. So shop glasses with the side deflectors or the wrap around glasses. I find this to be more of an issue during outdoor shooting.
• If you're going to be shooting outdoors you probably don't want plain plastic shop glasses. You might want glasses with a tint (I tend to use lunar gray) and with UV protection.
• If you're going to spend money on glasses make sure they fit comfortably. You don't want to have a temptation to remove them at all anywhere near the shooting (most of the time I'm hit by lead or jackets, it's someone else's). This tends to happen at outdoor action shooting matches the most (metal targets), but I've been hit by bullet fragments bouncing back when the guy next to me hit a target hanger or what ever.
• Make sure they work with your muffs. Remember the muffs may be pushing them into your ears and that they may affect the seal of your muffs. I haven't had that problem with the Peltors but there was one (non-Peltor) set I had that actually made the glass frames painful after an hour or two.
• As someone else mentioned, make sure you have maximum coverage. I was at a range with glasses that had some gaps and a .22 bullet fired by the guy next to me, hit the hanger, bounced back and hit me exactly in the little gap in the frame between the lenses and cut me. I was lucky because with a little more angle it might have slid by my nose and hit my eye. Now all my shooting glasses are full on wrap around with a snug fit top, bottom and sides (hence the Wileys and Silencios, although there are many to choose from).
• Interchangeable lenses can be a bit of hassle (and parts break, which sucks at an outdoor match if you don't have backups) so I ended up buying glasses in the two colors I use the most (clear for indoors/night, lunar for outdoors-day) and I don't change those lenses.

Like others have said, I don't recommend cutting corners on eye and ear protection because there is too much too lose and they don't grow back.

[maxicon]

Here are a couple of inexpensive options for checking out different styles of shooting glasses.

Sawfly Revision ballistic military eyewear - comes in 3 colors, also available with prescription inserts, used by US and Canadian armed forces, available on ebay for $30:

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&satitle=sawfly

Beretta traditional style shooting glasses on sale:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=49116